The wasp genus Sphex in Sub-Saharan Africa (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)
Author
Dörfel, Thorleif H.
11B5C093-23D5-417C-AB64-65764FC2AF05
Museum für Naturkunde, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
thorleif.doerfel@mfn.berlin
Author
Ohl, Michael
878259F2-C3C6-4264-B04A-C397E01E5C8E
Museum für Naturkunde, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
michael.ohl@mfn.berlin
text
European Journal of Taxonomy
2022
2022-02-23
796
1
1
170
http://dx.doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2022.796.1665
journal article
10.5852/ejt.2022.796.1665
9c3fa32d-4320-4170-83e3-a5c045a4ba68
2118-9773
6299440
76C5C9C4-C6C1-4EDC-8FF8-9828A6EF2040
Sphex mweruensis
(
Arnold, 1947
)
Figs 62
(yellow), 64–65, 68
Chlorion haemorrhoidalis
var.
mweruensis
Arnold, 1947: 146
,
♀
,
♂
.
Differential diagnosis
Females of this species are easy to recognize, as they are the only ones within the
umtalicus
group that have silvery erect setae on the posterior propodeal margin (
Fig. 64
). In males, the extent of the dorsal silvery setae is greater, as they cover all of the propodeal enclosure and occasionally parts of the scutum as well (
Fig. 65
). Males of
S. haemorrhoidalis
(
Fig. 70
) can be very similar, but always have the free clypeal margin black and only slightly concave, and the appressed setae barely leave a glabrous spot on the clypeus. Those of
S. mweruensis
have a glabrous spot in the lower clypeal center, the free margin is often (though not always) ferruginous and has a gentle but conspicuous concave emargination on either side of the medial process, which is apically concave itself. Males of
S. caeruleanus
have the free clypeal margin and the process shaped similarly, but the process is approximately twice as wide. Moreover, they are easily distinguished through their uniformly black erect propodeal setae.
Material examined
Lectotype
(designated here)
ZAMBIA
•
♀
; “Seremani Mweru”;
27 Jan. 1944
;
IRSN
.
Paralectotype
ZAMBIA
–
Northern Province
•
1 ♂
;
Mpulungu
;
2 May 1944
;
IRSN
.
Other material
ANGOLA
–
Huambo Province
•
1 ♀
;
Luimbale
,
Mt Moco
; [
12°27ʹ43ʺ S
,
15°10ʹ36ʺ E
];
Mar. 1934
;
BMNH
.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
•
1 ♀
; “
Lulua
”; 1929;
Walker
leg.;
MRAC
•
2 ♂♂
; “
Lulua
:
Juele River
”; 1929;
Walker
leg.;
MRAC
•
2 ♀♀
;
Kibombo
;
Oct. 1930
;
H.J. Brédo
leg.;
MRAC
. –
Haut-Katanga
•
1 ♀
;
Elisabethville
[
now Lubumbashi
]; [
11°40ʹ S
,
27°29ʹ E
];
Jan. 1938
;
H.-J. Brédo
leg.;
IRSN
•
1 ♂
; same collection data as for preceding but
10 Jan. 1938
;
IRSN
•
1 ♀
; same locality as for preceding;
May 1949
;
Ch. Seydel
leg.;
MRAC
•
1 ♀
;
Mwelushi
; [
9°30ʹ S
,
27°50ʹ E
];
Feb. 1931
;
H.J. Brédo
leg.;
MRAC
. –
Haut-Lomami
•
1 ♂
;
Kabongo
; [
7°19ʹ S
,
25°35ʹ E
];
5 Jan. 1953
;
Ch. Seydel
leg.;
MRAC
•
1 ♀
;
Kamina
; [
8°44ʹ S
,
25°00ʹ E
];
27 Nov. 1925
;
Ch. Seydel
leg.;
MRAC
. –
Kasaï- Oriental
•
2 ♂♂
,
1 ♀
;
Gandajika
; [
6°45ʹ S
,
23°57ʹ E
]; 1956;
P. de Francquen
leg.;
MRAC
•
1 ♂
;
Station de Gandajika
; [
6°45ʹ S
,
23°57ʹ E
]; 1957;
P. de Francquen
leg.;
MRAC
. –
Kongo Central
•
1 ♂
,
1 ♀
;
Kisantu
; [
5°07ʹ29ʺ S
,
15°04ʹ49ʺ E
]; 1927;
R.P. Vanderyst
leg.;
MRAC
•
1 ♂
; same collection data as for preceding but 1932;
MRAC
•
5 ♂♂
,
6 ♀♀
;
Lemfu
; [
5°17ʹ56ʺ S
,
15°13ʹ21ʺ E
];
Jan. 1945
;
P.L. De Beir
leg.;
MRAC
•
1 ♀
; same collection data as for preceding but
May 1945
;
MRAC
•
2 ♀♀
; same collection data as for preceding but
Jun. 1945
;
MRAC
•
2 ♂♂
,
5 ♀♀
; same collection data as for preceding but
Dec. 1945
;
MRAC
. –
Lomami
•
1 ♂
;
Kambaye-Lupula
; [
6°53ʹ S
,
23°44ʹ E
]; 1930;
R. Collart
leg.;
IRSN
•
1 ♂
;
Lomami
,
Kambaye
; [
6°52ʹ38ʺ S
,
23°44ʹ09ʺ E
];
Oct. 1930
;
P. Quarré
leg.;
MRAC
. –
Lualaba
•
6 ♂♂
;
Ditanto
; [
10°15ʹ S
,
25°53ʹ E
];
Oct. 1925
;
Ch. Seydel
leg.;
MRAC
•
3 ♀♀
;
Kapanga
; [
8°21ʹ S
,
22°34ʹ E
];
Oct. 1932
;
F.G. Overlaet
leg.;
MRAC
•
1 ♂
; same collection data as for preceding but
Dec. 1932
;
MRAC
.
MALAWI
–
Southern Region
•
1 ♀
;
Mlanje
; [
16°01ʹ53ʺ S
,
35°30ʹ E
];
11 Dec. 1913
;
S.A. Neave
leg.;
BMNH
.
ZAMBIA
–
Central Province
•
1 ♂
; “Mkushi env. E”; [
13°37ʹ18.5ʺ S
,
29°23ʹ41.9ʺ E
];
16–18 Dec. 2004
;
M. Snižek
leg.;
OÖLM
. –
Northern Province
•
3 ♀♀
;
Kaputa
; [
8°28ʹ S
,
29°40ʹ E
];
8 Jan. 1944
;
IRSN
. –
North-Western Province
•
1 ♂
;
50 km
E of Mwinilunga
;
11°43ʹ S
,
24°47ʹ E
;
2 Nov. 2008
;
M. Halada
leg.;
THD-019-OOLM
; GenBank CO1 gene:
MW538574
;
OÖLM
.
Description
Female
SIZE.
22.2–24.5 mm
.
COLOR. Black except for the following, which are ferruginous: basal half of mandible, clypeus, scape, pedicel, foreleg from apical half of femur, and mid- and hindlegs from femur onward excluding apical half of claw. Wings fuscous, with violet luster.
VESTITURE. Appressed setae on clypeus silvery-golden laterally, black otherwise, on paraocular area silvery, on collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure black. Erect setae on clypeus ferruginous laterally, black otherwise, on paraocular area, collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure black, on posterior margin of propodeum silvery. Erect propodeal setae oriented perpendicularly, slightly curved towards anterior. Central third of clypeus glabrous. Scutellum densely and coarsely pubescent.
STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin medially with broad, notched tooth, slightly stepped above. Clypeus without indentation or carina. Scutellum convex. Metanotum slightly raised, not notably bituberculate. 2
nd
recurrent vein nearly joins interstitium between submarginal cells II and III. Propodeal enclosure without any notable ridges. Foretarsomere I 2.7–3.4 × length of antepenultimate spine. Petiole length 1.9–2.8× its medial width.
Male
SIZE.
21.5–24.8 mm
.
COLOR. Black except for the following, which are ferruginous: basal half of mandible, free clypeal margin, midtibia anteriorly, midtarsomere I, hindtibia, hindtarsomeres I–II and basal half of claw. Wings fuscous, forewing with violet luster.
VESTITURE. Appressed setae on clypeus and paraocular area silvery, on collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure black. Erect setae on clypeus, paraocular area and collar black, on scutum black or black and silvery, on propodeal enclosure silvery. Erect propodeal setae oriented perpendicularly, slightly curved towards anterior. Lower center of clypeus glabrous. Scutellum densely and coarsely pubescent.
STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin medially with tooth emerging from inner side, and distinctly concave next to process. Scutellum convex. Metanotum slightly raised, not notably bituberculate. 2
nd
recurrent vein joins slightly proximal from interstitium between submarginal cells II and III. Propodeal enclosure without any notable ridges. Posterior margin of metasomal tergum VII convex. Posterior margin of metasomal sternum VII simple, of metasomal sternum VIII triangular. Penis valvae without conspicuous modifications. Petiole length 2.1–2.5 × its medial width. Flagellomeres IV–VI with broad placoids covering their entire length.
Variation
In some males, the free margin can be black instead of ferruginous, the erect scutal setae can be uniformly black or partially silvery, and the propodeal enclosure can have erect black setae as well.
Distribution
Central Africa.
Remarks
The
two specimens
we consider part of the type series that are owned by the IRSN had both been labeled “
paratype
”. We believe the labels were added later, possibly by Leclercq, and do not constitute an official designation by Arnold. Since we could not locate any publication that designates a
lectotype
for either of these two species, we treat them as
syntypes
and designate a
lectotype
here.